


You Don't Know What You Want (Til You See I'm Moving On)

by fraudulentzodiacs



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 12:19:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18637996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraudulentzodiacs/pseuds/fraudulentzodiacs
Summary: Or, the one where Sarah listened to “You Broke Up With Me” by Walker Hayes and was inspired to write a fic where Alex is a Leather Jacket Hottie and it drives Michael crazy.





	You Don't Know What You Want (Til You See I'm Moving On)

**Author's Note:**

> Also inspired by several prompts that @allthehearteyes sent my way!

Michael and Maria’s relationship implodes spectacularly about five minutes after Maria learns about the existence of aliens. She’s bitter and resentful that everyone close to her kept secrets from her, even more so when she realizes that her family had been part of Project Shepherd for decades before her mother had walked away. Michael finds it ironic that the two people in his life that he’s fallen for were the descendants of those who had dedicated their lives to hunting down and eradicating his kind. Fitting, really, that he can’t get away from Alex - even when he tries.

It takes Maria weeks before any of them are allowed back in the Wild Pony. Enough time passes because of the ban that Michael is able to get some perspective on what he was looking for with Maria. He liked her, sure, and the sex was great. She was fun and new and she made Michael feel lighter. But, not matter how much he wanted it, he knew that it was never going to work. She was Alex’s best friend, and the spectre of wrongness hung over them whenever he thought about Alex. He thought that he had needed space, time, and something other than Alex Manes. But he had been so wrong, and by the time he realized it, Alex was nowhere to be found. He didn’t respond to Michael’s calls or texts, and when he finally broke down and drove out to the cabin, his SUV was missing. Liz assured him that Alex was still in town, but it was clear that he had been avoiding Michael and Liz refused to tell him anything else.

“Hey, DeLuca.” Michael greeted, setting up in his place at the bar.

“Are you testing me?” Maria asked, an eyebrow raised as she cleaned a glass.

“Aw, come on, I can’t still be banned!” Michael argued. “You let Liz back in last week!”

Maria studied him for a long moment before rolling her eyes and grabbing the bottle of whiskey, pouring him a glass.

“Fine, but only if you don’t cause trouble.”

“How would I cause trouble?” He asked innocently, and Maria nodded her head beyond Michael, forcing him to turn around and move his gaze to the pool tables. There, in all his glory, was Alex Manes. He was different, his hair artfully disheveled, facial hair growing in, and a leather jacket that made him look like sin made flesh. Michael couldn’t look away, until he watched Alex sidle up to his pool partner, leaning into the other man’s space with a flirtatious smile. The smile was returned, and the man slipped an arm around Alex’s waist as Michael felt his stomach twist.

“Who the hell is that?” Michael grumbled before turning back to the bar and Maria’s knowing gaze.

“That is Jeff, I believe.” Maria supplied.

“How long has Jeff been a thing?”

“They just met, I think. He was in here with a Mason last Saturday, Chase on Friday.”

“Hmm.” Michael grunted, downing the rest of his drink.

“You won’t get any sympathy from me.” Maria replied evenly.

“Not looking for it.”

“Sure you’re not.” Maria walked away to take care of another customer, so Michael turned back to watch Alex. He had moved away from Jeff to take his shot, and Michael had to take a deep breath to stop from cracking the glass in his hand as he watched the guy ogle Alex’s ass as he leaned over the table. Alex seemed aware that the guy was leering, as he turned his head over his shoulder and said something that made the other guy throw his head back in laughter.

Michael turned back to the bar, threw a couple of bills down, and headed straight for the exit.

—

Michael doesn’t brave the Wild Pony again for a week. When Isobel and Rosa finally drag him in, Michael nearly bolts when he spots Alex talking to Maria at the bar. By the time he and the girls have grabbed a booth, Alex and Maria had been interrupted by a guy leaning onto the bar next to Alex, drawing his attention away from Maria. Michael watched as the guy chatted Alex up, tugging on the lapel of Alex’s leather jacket. Alex smiled, taking the drink that Maria offered before raising it to the guy in thanks.

“This is new.” Rosa interrupted Michael’s thoughts, pulling his attention away from the bar.

“What is?” He asked, and Rosa smirked.

“You have a thing for Alex.”

“Oh, that is not new, not by a long shot.” Isobel corrected, patting Rosa’s arm.

“Why don’t you just ask him out then?”

“It’s…complicated.” Michael replied. “We have a history.”

“It’s not that complicated.” Isobel rolled her eyes. “They’ve been in love for years, they broke up, Michael had a fling with Maria, and now Alex is flirting his way through the male population of Roswell.”

“You’re the one who told me to stop living in the past!” Michael snapped, and Isobel sighed.

“Yes, but I didn’t mean leave the love of your life so he could become the eye candy of the Wild Pony.”

“I’m getting a drink.” Michael slid out of the booth and made a beeline for the bar, stepping up on the other side of Alex as he continued talking to the other guy.

“Can I get a whiskey, DeLuca?”

Alex turned to look at him at the sound of his voice, and up close Michael felt the breath punch its way out of his chest at just how beautiful Alex looked. He seemed lighter, despite the dark clothes and leather jacket.

He looked…happier.

“Hey.” Alex breathed, and Michael gave him the best smile he could muster.

“Hey.” He replied, gesturing at Alex with a nod of his head. “Who did this?”

“Trying to be me.” Alex replied, and Michael chuckled.

“It looks good on you.”

“Thanks.”

Before Michael could reply, Maria set his drink down in front of him, the look on her face telling him clearly to back off of Alex. She glared at him until she was called away by one of the other bartenders, and Michael watched her until he heard Alex chuckle.

“If looks could kill.” He muttered, and Michael nodded. “Still, I’m gay and even I thought that was kind of hot.”

“Scary DeLuca is not sexy, it’s terrifying.”

“You’re the one who dated her.”

“Can I buy you a drink?” Michael offered, and Alex shook his head as he raised his half-full glass.

“I’m good.”

“I miss you.” Michael admitted, and the words hung heavy in the air until Alex shook his head.

“You left.” Alex replied. “You ended things. You don’t get to say things like that.” Michael watched out of the corner of his eye as the other guy moved away, obviously overhearing their conversation.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.”

“You told me you wanted to talk and then you left me waiting for hours while you were sleeping with my best friend. You can’t expect me to just be here waiting to be your consolation prize because Maria dumped you.”

“That’s not…you’re never my consolation prize, ever.”

“You’re right.” Alex agreed, pushing away from the bar. “And I’m not yours anymore, either.”

—

When Michael saw Alex at the Pony three weeks later, Kyle fucking Valenti’s arm slung casually over his shoulders, Michael snapped. He slammed his glass down on the bartop, earning a glare from Maria as he stomped across the bar to the table where the other men were sitting.

“Valenti? Really, Alex?”

“Can we help you, Guerin?” Kyle looked so smug that Michael really wanted punch him in the face just to make that look disappear.

“Can we talk?” Michael ignored Kyle in favor of Alex, who looked up at him with trepidation.

“Yeah.” Alex finally admitted, shrugging off Kyle’s arm.

“You sure?” Kyle asked, and Alex nodded as he stood.

“Let’s go.” Alex moved toward the exit and Michael followed, both of them silent as Alex crossed the parking lot to Michael’s truck, leaning against it as he waiting for Michael to unlock the cab and let him in. The ride to the junkyard was tense, and it wasn’t until they were near Michael’s home that Alex finally spoke.

“I’m not dating Kyle.” He admitted. “We’re just friends.”

“Valenti sure is friendly.”

“He’s tactile, he’s like that with everyone.”

“He’s not the only one you’ve been…tactile with.”

“You don’t get to judge me for that.” Alex snapped.

“I’m not judging you, Alex, shit. I just don’t…”

“What?”

Michael was silent until the truck pulled to a stop in front of the Airstream, throwing the door open and practically stomping over to the passenger side. He grabbed Alex by the lapels of his leather jacket, hauling him in close and gently pushing him against the truck.

“I don’t like…I can’t stand watching you, looking like that, like you’re straight out of my goddamn dreams, and watching other people touch you. It drives me crazy, you make me feel crazy.”

“You didn’t want me.” Alex argued, and Michael shook his head.

“I always want you, Alex. I didn’t think I could get past all the bad shit that’s happened between us. I thought I needed a fresh start, but I don’t. I don’t need a fresh start, I just need a new beginning with you. I can’t…Alex, I can’t do this anymore. Watching you move on is killing me, and I’m so sorry if I made you feel even a fraction of what I’m feeling right now.”

Alex opened his mouth to speak, but he just stared at Michael with tears burning in his eyes.

“I made a mistake with Maria. My head wasn’t right, and I was desperate to feel something good, to feel something that didn’t remind me of my mom and all the pain and trauma and shit in my life. It’s not an excuse, but I should never have left you behind. You’re my past, but you’re my future too. It’s always going to be you.”

Michael stepped away, giving Alex space to breathe as they stared at one another. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Alex sagged as if his strings had been cut.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked. ‘Are you ready for this? I know I did it to you over and over, but I don’t think I could survive it if you walked away again.”

Michael surged forward again, crashing his lips onto Alex’s. Alex responded immediately, wrapping his arms around Michael’s waist and pulling him in until their chests were flush. The kiss was messy and desperate and so perfectly them that Michael felt like his heart was finally back where it belonged. He pulled away, peppering kisses along Alex’s jaw and down his neck, tugging on the leather jacket with a frustrated grunt.

“The jacket is really hot, but I need it off.” Michael ordered. “Now.”

“So bossy.” Alex replied, joy clear in his voice as he shrugged out of the jacket. “You taking me to bed or not?”

Michael did.


End file.
